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Review and Measurements of Chromecast Audio Digital Output

Julf

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I really hope so, because with XLRs I hear an obvious difference between Mogami, Vovox and a cheap ones from Amazon. But here may be the role of the cable is not the same in such a combo...

Analog connection? Very different from digital. A digital signal is a waveform encoded as numbers - the receiver doesn't care if the numbers aren't exactly the right size or color.

As to obvious differences in XLR cables - did you do a double-blind ABX test, or is it just a subjective perception?
 

Willem

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Expensive digital cables are a fraud, and even more so than expensive analogue cables. I use the digital output of a CCA into an RME ADI-2 DAC and the sound quality is as good as it gets using a cheap cable. The only snag I sometimes run into is that the mini optical connector into the CCA can occasionally not make good contact inside the CCA (the problem is on the CCA side, I think). If so, there is no connection rather than a sonically impaired connection.
 

Sal1950

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I really hope so, because with XLRs I hear an obvious difference between Mogami, Vovox and a cheap ones from Amazon.
Only 2 possibility at work here,
You didn't listen under controlled conditions, double blinded and level matched within .25 db.
You listened with your eyes and heard what your bias expected to hear. It's very human and we are all prone to it.

Well designed and engineered cables will all sound the same no matter the cost. Maybe there are problems with some of those cables but I highly doubt it. A few quick measurements of your system with the cables in place would tell the story.
 

MiRaGe_BG

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Only 2 possibility at work here,
You didn't listen under controlled conditions, double blinded and level matched within .25 db.
You listened with your eyes and heard what your bias expected to hear. It's very human and we are all prone to it.

Well designed and engineered cables will all sound the same no matter the cost. Maybe there are problems with some of those cables but I highly doubt it. A few quick measurements of your system with the cables in place would tell the story.

I am classical musician with 35 years stage experience. I’ve performed in several of the well known venues and concert halls and much more in other different as size and shape concert halls around the world. The differences are 120% there to my ears, no matter blinded test or not, especially between Mogami Quad and Vovox, where the later was producing much more airy and transparent soundstage, as the slightest details in mids and highs were more than obvious compared to the other tested cables. But of course it highly depends on what style you are listening to - in Jazz and Classical music there is very obvious sound difference between cables. On the other hand in Techno, Disko, Pop and other more digital sounding styles I would assume it would be harder to spot it. Everywhere where acoustic instruments are involved, the differences are clearly there.
 

ahofer

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I am classical musician with 35 years stage experience. I’ve performed in several of the well known venues and concert halls and much more in other different as size and shape concert halls around the world. The differences are 120% there to my ears, no matter blinded test or not, especially between Mogami Quad and Vovox, where the later was producing much more airy and transparent soundstage, as the slightest details in mids and highs were more than obvious compared to the other tested cables. But of course it highly depends on what style you are listening to - in Jazz and Classical music there is very obvious sound difference between cables. On the other hand in Techno, Disko, Pop and other more digital sounding styles I would assume it would be harder to spot it. Everywhere where acoustic instruments are involved, the differences are clearly there.

It would be terrific if you could replicate that under blind conditions - put a lot of this debate to rest. I'm afraid nobody has done it yet.
 

Sal1950

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I am classical musician with 35 years stage experience.
That in no way makes you immune to human weaknesses. And most of the serious musicians I know don't own a Hi Fi any better than a cheap all-in-one Best Buy special so their quality requirements are nothing special.
Now if you want to pursue your statements and beliefs, set up a tightly bias controlled DBT listening test for you and some of your musician friends and present the results here.
Or have someone with audio engineering skills come by and run a complete set of measurements at the speaker terminals on your system with both cables installed and present the results here.
Otherwise, without the presents of any evidence/data outside of "I heard it and it is so" your comments are worthless and it's quite probable that the next 5 guys that listened with zero controls would give 5 different opinions on the cables sound.
For myself I say, baloney.
 

Julf

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The differences are 120% there to my ears.

Sure. The question is if the differences are there in the actual sound waves entering your ears.

This forum has "science" in the name for a reason.
 

Harmonie

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I'm (quite a bit) tired of these endless back and forth objective<>subjective debates.

As a human being, I would like to believe both parties and we all have to admit that the brain makes a lot of concessions and even "restores" some missing or imperfect notes as you may have recalled from previous listening.

Great would be to organize some official event that conducts such DBT in perfect volume level conditions within __db (it got now to 0,25db ??).

Such event would clarify this vast subject once and for all.
... @amirm
 

ahofer

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I'm (quite a bit) tired of these endless back and forth objective<>subjective debates.

As a human being, I would like to believe both parties and we all have to admit that the brain makes a lot of concessions and even "restores" some missing or imperfect notes as you may have recalled from previous listening.

Great would be to organize some official event that conducts such DBT in perfect volume level conditions within __db (it got now to 0,25db ??).

Such event would clarify this vast subject once and for all.
... @amirm

I’m all for it. Even offered a prize. But I’m afraid it wouldn’t settle the debate any more than the others, already performed, many times, and almost all pointing to an obvious result- A lot of the stuff we claim to hear sighted disappears under blind conditions.
 
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dkinric

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I am classical musician with 35 years stage experience. I’ve performed in several of the well known venues and concert halls and much more in other different as size and shape concert halls around the world. The differences are 120% there to my ears, no matter blinded test or not, especially between Mogami Quad and Vovox, where the later was producing much more airy and transparent soundstage, as the slightest details in mids and highs were more than obvious compared to the other tested cables. But of course it highly depends on what style you are listening to - in Jazz and Classical music there is very obvious sound difference between cables. On the other hand in Techno, Disko, Pop and other more digital sounding styles I would assume it would be harder to spot it. Everywhere where acoustic instruments are involved, the differences are clearly there.
https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...iles-posting-at-asr-for-the-first-time.17598/
It's nothing against you personally, you could a more refined ear than most. It's just human nature. Valid scientific testing invalidates much of these differences people claim, quite adamantly, to hear clearly. Nearly all of us believed at some point.
 

Harmonie

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I’m all for it. Even offered a prize. But I’m afraid it wouldn’t settle the debate any more than the others, already performed, many times, and almost all pointing to an obvious result- A lot of the stuff we claim to hear sighted disappears under blind conditions.


Just saw your thread and gave you a retroactive Oct2019 like ;)
It just proves that this is never ending.
It's like being projected in the flat earth community land.
 

Harmonie

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Thing is, such tests have indeed been done often enough, and the result is always the same

The only point is how well have these tests been published and known to diverse communities?
 

MiRaGe_BG

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Is there any way to resolve the random stuttering on 24/96 content? It is quite annoying, doesn’t happen often, but when happens is disturbing...
 

dweekie

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The only point is how well have these tests been published and known to diverse communities?

Definitely a never ending debate. I think another big issue is a difference in opinion of what constitutes valid test conditions (mine varies considerably from most here), but scrutinizing is a part of science as well (which goes a bit too extreme when you're not face to face in person and hiding behind a computer screen).
It's interesting to note that sound differences are regularly mentioned in musician circles. When you're changing pieces of equipment or instruments, the differences are staggering. Yet, they're barely, or not at all, quantifiable to the audience or in recordings. There are some parallels to comparing million dollar instruments to budget instruments in recordings as they both sound incredible in the right hands to anyone listening but wildly different to the musician. Anyone taking measurements will say to just to settle on the budget instrument since it's practically the same on a recording, but when you're actually playing the instrument... o_O
 

Julf

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It's interesting to note that sound differences are regularly mentioned in musician circles. When you're changing pieces of equipment or instruments, the differences are staggering. Yet, they're barely, or not at all, quantifiable to the audience or in recordings. There are some parallels to comparing million dollar instruments to budget instruments in recordings as they both sound incredible in the right hands to anyone listening but wildly different to the musician. Anyone taking measurements will say to just to settle on the budget instrument since it's practically the same on a recording, but when you're actually playing the instrument... o_O

Sure, but a lot of that is very much placebo. Just like top athletes believing a magic magnetic bracelet (or just a magic amulet) makes a difference.
 

adam2434

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Curious whether anyone has any thoughts on if an ethernet adapter like the below could impact the Chromecast Audio's digital and analog output for the worse. With the adapter linked below, one could use the stock Chromecast Audio power supply. The adapter enables ethernet and power via the micro USB connection. So, I'm just wondering if the adapter could somehow create some noise or interference in the Chromecast Audio's circuitry.

I bought one of these and it works fine from a network standpoint - plug and play.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01N1X28F1?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2_dt_b_product_details
 

Taddpole

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Curious whether anyone has any thoughts on if an ethernet adapter like the below could impact the Chromecast Audio's digital and analog output for the worse. With the adapter linked below, one could use the stock Chromecast Audio power supply. The adapter enables ethernet and power via the micro USB connection. So, I'm just wondering if the adapter could somehow create some noise or interference in the Chromecast Audio's circuitry.

I bought one of these and it works fine from a network standpoint - plug and play.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01N1X28F1?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2_dt_b_product_details
How do you know it's using it rather than the wi-fi?
 

Berwhale

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Curious whether anyone has any thoughts on if an ethernet adapter like the below could impact the Chromecast Audio's digital and analog output for the worse. With the adapter linked below, one could use the stock Chromecast Audio power supply. The adapter enables ethernet and power via the micro USB connection. So, I'm just wondering if the adapter could somehow create some noise or interference in the Chromecast Audio's circuitry.

I bought one of these and it works fine from a network standpoint - plug and play.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01N1X28F1?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2_dt_b_product_details

I have the white/aluminium version of the same adaptor and I can't say I noticed any issues with SQ when I used it with my Chromecast.
 
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